1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a knee stabilizing brace used at the time of damage of a ligament of a knee joint.
2. Description of the Related Art
Knee stabilizing braces are used for damage of ligaments of knee joints and treating knee disease. For instance, a knee stabilizing brace disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2000-197654 (paragraphs 0017 to 0020, FIGS. 1 to 3) has a knee brace body formed of a stretchable thick cloth, and a support stay for reinforcement arranged on either side of a knee. The support stay for reinforcement has an upper stay portion and a lower stay portion, and is inserted into and held by long bag-like support members 10 and 10′. The knee stabilizing brace can be fitted around a knee portion in a stable state by rear fastening belts 12 and 12′, front fastening belts 15 and 15′, and fastening bands for patella 18 and 18′.
Here, as shown in FIG. 3 of Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2000-197654, the rear fastening belt 12 has one end which is integrally fixed to the right bag-like support member 10, and the other end which is folded back by a ring-like fastener 13 provided to the left bag-like support member 10 and is engaged by a hook loop type fastener 14 provided at the distal end of the rear fastening belt 12, and the rear fastening belt 12′ has one end which is integrally fixed to the right bag-like support member 10′, and the other end which is folded back by the ring-like fastener 13 provided to the left bag-like support member 10′ and is engaged by a hook loop type fastener 14 provided at the distal end of the rear fastening belt 12′. The front fastening belts 15 and 15′ are engaged by the same means. The fastening bands for patella 18 and 18′ extend diagonally upwardly from the lower ends on the front sides of the lower bag-like support members 10′ and 10′, and are engaged onto the surface of the knee brace body or the bag-like support members 10, 10 by hook loop type fasteners. The pair of fastening bands for patella 18 and 18′ are fitted crosswise.